Afterward, as nearly 100 Arson Watch volunteers criss-crossed the gym at West Michigan Avenue United Methodist Church in Saginaw collecting still-creased orange Arson Watch T-shirts that read, “our community working together;” yellow warning lights to affix to their vehicle roofs; and toys to award children at citywide block parties this weekend, Levy approached Marcia Rabideau with a a $20 bill waving from his hand.

Levy tells Marcia Rabideau he remembers a day last year when he stopped into the McDonald’s at 3700 E. Genesee in Saginaw for breakfast.

While working, Marcia Rabideau, the founder of Arson Watch, a grassroots effort to quell arson fire in the days surrounding Devil’s Night, spotted Levy in line, at the time wearing an orange Arson Watch T-shirt.

She asked a few questions to verify Levy in fact participated.

He rattled off the answers, and to show her appreciation, Marcia Rabideau paid for Levy’s breakfast, a sausage and egg biscuit.

“I remembered her buying me breakfast and I’m going, you know, I’m just going to go over and give her $20” to show my appreciation, Levy said.

Arson Watch, an annual fire watch event that includes boarding up vacant homes prior to Halloween, began in 2007, the year after the city made national news when it was ravaged by, Interim Fire Chief Ricardo Longoria said, “over 54 fires in 72 hours.”

Police Chief Gerald Cliff, who had recently moved to Saginaw from Detroit where a fiery Devil’s Night has long been tradition, first recommended the city start a similar community-led anti-arson effort.

“There been a steady decrease year after year in fires,” Longoria said to the at-capacity crowd Thursday. “Last we had three. We owe that all to you volunteers.”

John Stemple, the city’s chief inspector, said the lack of activity in recent years has led to boredom among some patrols, which he added “is good.”

To keep patrols alert into the wee hours when arson fires usually happen, Stemple said he and Allen Rabideau came up with “a little idea.”

Allen Rabideau and Stemple plan to visit accessible homes on Sunday and Monday between midnight and 4 a.m. in an attempt to thwart such arson planning.

The first volunteer each hour who spots the duo and calls Saginaw County 911 to report suspicious activity will win $50, courtesy of a $400 donation from Saginaw Township-based Hammer Restoration.

Allen Rabideau emphasized that volunteers should not go beyond the “watch” in Arson Watch.

“Over the years, some of the patrols they’re getting a little bit out of control,” he said. “You have to understand, you’re a citizen, don’t engage people; you’re not the police, you’re not firefighters.”

Allen Rabideau said all suspicious activity should immediately be reported to 911.

In 2006 the city reported 17 arsons between midnight Oct. 30 and 8 a.m. Nov. 1, according to fire statistics. The city had 11 arsons in 2007, 13 in 2008 and five in 2009 between midnight Oct. 30 and 8 a.m. Nov. 1, and three last year.

In addition to those patrolling the streets, officials have credited the board-up event which blocks entry with plywood to 100 homes each year and invigorated demolition efforts last year.

The city razed 127 abandoned homes this year, 499 in 2010 and 258 in 2009, mostly using federal housing funds. The average demolition costs $5,000 to $6,000, Stemple said.

Marcia Rabideau said that with Halloween falling on a Monday, patrols are crucial on Friday and Saturday, as well as Devil’s Night and Halloween.

“If something is going to happen, its’ going to happen this weekend first,” Rabideau said. “They’re not going to wait until Sunday night to start a fire.”

Some of the perks for volunteers include block parties at neighborhood associations throughout the city, free coffee and soda from McDonald’s restaurant locations at 1454 N. Michigan, 510 S. Michigan, 3200 E. Holland and 3700 E. Genesee; and coffee from Tim Horton’s, 2039 N. Michigan.

Anyone who desires to join in the effort may patrol on their own, or contact their neighborhood association or Allen Rabideau, 759-1288.

Marcia Rabideau said Arson Watch expects to distribute over a 100 yellow oscillating lights, about 300 T-shirts and “thousands of dollars” worth of toys donated by the Johanne Luth Organization.

“We want everyone to have a good time,” Chief Cliff said. “The idea behind this is the community coming together to take back their streets and actually own their town and drive out the negativity that seems to have haunted this city for a long time before all this started.”